Indicator.



No. 702,913. Patented .lune 24, |902.

J. S. BAUGHMAN.

INDICATOR.

(Application filed Sept. 16. 1901.)

(Np Model.)

E POINTS.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JACOB SOHROCK BAUGHMAN, OF BURLINGTON, IOWA.

INDICATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N0. 702,913, dated June 24, 1902.

Application tiled September 16, 1901. Serial No. 75,497. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that l, JACOB ScHRocK BAUGH- MAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Burlington, in the county of Des Moines and State of Iowa, have invented a new and useful Indicator, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to indicators, and it is particularly designed for use in connection with menu-cards and other tabulated forms,

so as to clearly designate individual elements thereof. It is furthermore designed to provide for the individual or independent adjustment of a plurality of indexes and to arrange for simultaneously releasing and returning the same to their normal positions after the adjustment thereoic has served its purposeas, for instance, in ordering a meal from a menu-card to permanently indicate the individual dishes desired, so as to obviate mistakes on the part of the waiter and also to permit of the indexes being quickly returned to their normal positions by the waiter after the meal has been served.

A final object resides in the provision of means for the interchangeable reception of menu-cards, so that the latter may be effectually displayed and also arranged in coperative relation to the indicating devices,where by an order may be made in a convenient and expeditious manner and be clearly indicated to the waiter.

With these and other objects in view the present invention consists in the combination and arrangement of parts, as will be hereinafter more fully described, shown in the accompanying drawings,and particularly pointed out in the appended claims, it being understood that changes in the form, proportion, size, and minor details may be made within the scope of the claims without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

In the drawings, Figure l is a perspective view of a menu-card holder and indicator constructed and arranged in accordance with the present invention. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the upper end of the device having a menucard held therein, parts being broken away to show the mounting of one of the adjustable indexes lor pointers. Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken on the line 4 4 of Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a detail perspective view of one of the indexes or pointers.l Fig. 6 is a detail perspective view of a portion of the trip-rod.

Like characters of reference designate corresponding parts in all the figures of the drawings.

In carryingout the invention there is provided a substantially rectangular frame embodying duplicate front and back members l and 2, respectively, which are of skeleton form and are separated by means of a plurality of transverse spacing-strips 3, which Vare arranged at regular intervals along the opposite edges of the frame, so as to provide guideways for the respective indexes or pointers 4. One or both ends of the skeleton frame are open for the reception ot a menucard 5 or other tabulated form, so that the printed matter thereon may be effectnally displayed through the central opening of the skeleton frame. One or more transverse bracestrips 6 extend between the opposite sides of each frame member, and a suitable leg or prop 7 is hinged to the rear brace-strip for the purpose of supporting the device in an upright position. It will of course be understood that this prop and cross-braces may be omitted without departing from myinvention.

Each pointer or index is mounted to slide endwise in opposite direction in one of the guideways formed by adjacent spacing-strips 3 and the front and back members of the holding-frame, the outer end of the pointer'being provided with a suitable handle or ngerpiece 8,which is always accessible at the outer edge of the holder. The inner end of the pointer is preferably reduced, as indicated at 9, Aso as to unmistakably point to the corresponding element upon the card when the pointer is pushed inwardly. Ordinarily the inner end of the pointer does not project beyond the adjacent inner edge of the frame, as said pointer is yieldably held at its outer limit by means of a coiled spring 10, which bears in opposite directions against the linger-piece and an endwise-movable trip-rod 1l, mounted longitudinally between the adjacent side portions of the front and rear members of the IOO frame, as will be hereinafter more fully explained. A spring-tongue 12 is struck from the intermediate portion of each pointer or index and is deected laterally, so as to snap outwardly into engagement with the inner edge of the trip-rod when the pointer has been pushed inwardly, thereby to lock said pointer against accidental outward movement.

To provide for simultaneously returning the pointers to theirnormal positions,the trip-rod 11 has been provided and is located between the front and back members of the holder. One of these members, preferably the back, is provided with a plurality of ears or projections 3, which are struck up therefrom and arranged in pairs at opposite sides of the triprod, so as to form a guideway therefor and limit the rod to endwise movement only. One end of this rod is projected beyond the adjacent end of the holder and is provided with a handle or inger-piece 14, there being a coiled spring 15 embracing the outer end portion of the rod and bearing .in opposite directions against the fingerpiece and the adjacent guide ears or projections to normally and yieldably hold the rod at its outward limit. It will be understood that each pointer crosses the trip-rod and lies in engagement therewith, so that the spring-tongue is forced into its corresponding opening by pressure against the rod. Beneath each pointer and corresponding to the spring-tongue thereof there is provided a notch or recess 16 in the upper face of the trip-rod and in the inner side thereof, said notch extending substantially half-way of the Width of the rod and slightlylonger than the width of the spring-tongue. The bottom or back of this notch is inclined downwardly in a direction from the handle end of the trip-rod.

When any one of the pointers is pushed inwardly, the free end of the spring tongue thereof will snap into engagementwith the upright Wall of the adjacent notch, thereby locking the pointer against accidental outward movement. To release the pointer, the trip-rod is pushed inwardly, whereby the inclined portion thereof slides transversely across the under side of the spring-linger, thereby forcing the latter upwardly until it engages the smooth top of the trip-rod and is thereby disengaged from the notch, when the pointer will be automatically returned to its normal position by means of the coiled spring 10.

It will be noted that the pointers or indexes may be independently adjusted to indicate any of the elements appearing upon the menucard or tabulated form, and all of the set or adjusted pointers may be simultaneously returned to their normal positions by pressing inwardly upon the trip-rod, thus obviating the necessity for individually manipulating the several pointers.

It will be noted that the spacing-strips also form the guides for lthe trip-rod and are produced by ears or projections struck up from the back part of the frame, said frame being preferablyformed of aluminium or otherlight and durable sheet metal.

W'hat I claim is- 1. An indicator comprising a frame having means for carrying and displaying a tabulated form, a plurality of independently-adj ustable endwise-movable pointers carried by the side of the frame and capable of being projected inwardly to cooperate with the respective items of the tabulated form, and means for automatically returning the pointers to their original positions.

2. An indicator, having an endwise-adjustable pointer which is provided with a spring locking-finger, and means which :is shiftable transversely of the pointer for engagement by the spring-linger to lock the pointer in adjusted position.

3. An indicator having a plurality of independently-adjustable pointers each of which is provided with a spring locking-iinger, and a trip-rod common to all of the pointers and constructed to simultaneously release the spring-tongues thereof.

4. An indicator, having a plurality of independently-adj ustable pointers which are provided with spring locking-tongues, and an endwise-shiftable notched trip-rod for locking and simultaneously releasing the springtongues.

5. An indicator, having a plurality of independently-adjustable pointers which are provided with spring locking-tongues, and an endwise-shiftable rod working transversely of the pointers and provided with inclined notches in one edge and corresponding to the respective spring-tongues for locking and releasing the same.

6. An indicator, having a plurality of independently-adj ustable endwise-movable pointers which are provided with spring lockingtongues, and an endwise-yieldable rod working transversely of the pointers and provided in one edge with notches corresponding to the spring-tongues and inclined downwardly from the outer end of the rod, said outer end of the rod being provided with a finger-piece.

7. An indicator, comprising an open frame having means for carrying within the same and displaying a tabulated form, a plurality of independently-adjustable pointers carried by one side of the frame and capable of being projected inwardly beyond the adjacent inner edge of the frame to coperate with the respective items of the tabulated form, the outer ends of the pointers being accessible at the outer edge of the frame, and means vfor simultaneously returning the adj usted pointers to their original positions.

8. An indicator, having a plurality of independent endwise-adjustable pointers, each of which is provided with a longitudinal laterally-projected spring locking-tongue, a triprod working transversely of the pointers and provided with a plurality of notches, corresponding to and for the reception of the springtongues in the adjusted position of the point- IOO IOS

IIO

ers, and coiled springs embracing the respective pointers and bearing in opposite directions against the latter and the trip-rod.

9. An indicator, embodying an open frame having means for carrying and displaying a tabulated form, a plurality of endwise-movable and independently-adjustable pointers mounted transversely within one side of the frame and normally-concealed thereby, the outer ends of the pointers being provided with normally exposed finger-pieces, means for locking the pointers when adjusted and projected inwardly, and a trip device working longitudinally within the frame and constructed to simultaneously release the pointers from their adjusted positions, the trip device having one end yieldably projected beyond the frame and provided with a linger-piece.

lO. An indicator, consisting of a skeleton frame having front and back spaced members, a plurality of endwise-movable and independently-adj ustable pointers mounted between the front and back members and normally housed between the same, the outer ends of the pointers having linger-pieces which are normally projected beyond the frame, each pointer having a longitudinal spring locking-finger which is inclined laterally outward and toward the outer end of the pointer, an endwise-shiftable trip-rod working transversely of the pointers and provided in its inner edge with longitudinal notches corresponding to the spring-lingers and inclined downwardly from the outer end of the rod, a spring to normally project said outer end of the rod, and coiled springs embracing the respective pointers and bearing in opposite directions against the springfingers thereof and the adjacent edge of the trip-rod.

Il. An indicator, having a plurality of adjustable pointers which are provided with spring locking-fingers, and means which is shiftable into and out of engagement With the spring-fingers to simultaneously lock and re lease the pointers.

12. Anindicatorcomprisingaframehaving means for carrying and displaying a tabulated form, a plurality of independently-adj ustable endwise-movable pointers carried by the side of the frame and capable of being projected inwardly to coperate with the respective items of the tabulated form, means for locking the pointers in their adjusted positions, and means for automatically returning the pointers to their original positions.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto aftixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

JACOB SCHROCK BAUGHMAN.

Witnesses:

WM. C. MCARTHUR, ALICE CORNWARDY. 

